World number one Angelique Kerber got the birthday gift she wanted Wednesday by making the Australian Open third round, but she had to work hard against fellow German Carina Witthoeft.
Former world number one Caroline Wozniacki continued her resurgence at the U.S. Open with a commanding 6-3 6-1 win over Romania's Monica Niculescu on Friday to reach the fourth round. The Dane, a U.S. Open finalist in 2009 and 2014 but unseeded this year after being sidelined for two months by an ankle injury, dominated from the start and wrapped up victory in just under an hour and a half. Niculescu, ranked 16 places above Wozniacki in the rankings at 58th, made life tough early on, particularly with her sliced forehand which is a rarity on the WTA Tour.
Rafael Nadal, with his troublesome left wrist improving every day, will be eyeing more progress at the US Open on Friday when he bids for a place in the last 16.
Serena Williams overpowered German Carina Witthoeft 6-2, 6-2 to set up a third-round clash with big sister Venus at the US Open on Wednesday.
World number one Novak Djokovic received a free pass into the third round of the U.S. Open when Jiri Vesely of the Czech Republic withdrew from their match on Wednesday due to a left forearm injury. The walkover provided the top-seeded defending champion with an extended break to improve his niggling left wrist injury before his next match against either Guido Pella of Argentina or Mikhail Youzhny of Russia.
Images from all the action on Day 3 at the Australian Open in Melbourne on Wednesday
No current athlete in the world of sport can match the 31-year-old for reliability at present and the American, despite a brief blip, eased past Luxembourg's Mandy Minella 6-1, 6-3.
Serena Williams played with fire at the French Open on Thursday but the world number one pulled through to the third round with a 5-7, 6-3, 6-3 win against unheralded German Anna-Lena Friedsam.
News of all that's transpired on and off the tennis courts.
Defending champion Angelique Kerber battled her nerves and blew a match point in the second set before finally overcoming Lesia Tsurenko 6-2, 5-7, 6-2 to reach the second round.
Form guide for American Serena Williams ahead of Thursday's US Open semi-final clash against Latvia's Anastasija Sevastova:
Roger Federer suffered a shock 3-6, 6-3, 7-6(4) defeat to Australian wildcard Thanasi Kokkinakis on Saturday that will cost the Swiss his world number one ranking and leaves the Miami men's tournament wide open.
World No 1 Novak Djokovic, second seed Andy Murray and three-time champion Rafael Nadal were all cheered into the quarter-finals of the Rogers Cup on Thursday.
The 36-year-old Swiss master needs only to reach the semi-finals at the ABN Amro tennis event to overtake Rafael Nadal at the top of the ATP rankings and become world number one for the first time since November 2012.
Images from Day 1 of the Australian Open, in Melbourne, on Monday.
Roger Federer began his 63rd consecutive Grand Slam tournament with a majestic 6-1, 6-3, 6-3 first-round win over little-known Bosnian Damir Dzumhur at Wimbledon in London, on Tuesday.
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